Bradford College

Green Gown Awards 2010

Bradford College is celebrating after being highly commended at the prestigious Green Gown Awards, established to find the UK’s most sustainable universities and colleges.

Bradford College Vice Principal, Andy Welsh attended the prestigious gala banquet held at the Swan at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London to accept the award. Vice Principal, Andy Welsh has been leading the eco-travel revolution with launch of the Green Travel Plan, in a bid to encourage staff, students and the general public to improve their carbon footprint and become more eco friendly.

Andy Welsh, is also behind a string of environmentally friendly initiatives - including backing Building Services Manager, Ian Brown with the development of  ‘Green Solutions’; Bradford College’s positive, forward thinking business with a fresh approach to helping local businesses meet their recycling needs.

Commenting on Green Solutions, Ian Brown said: “Our services cover the recycling of materials: paper, cardboard, plastic and metal recycling. Most of our collections are free of charge for the local business community. We also offer a first class confidential shredding service, equestrian eco friendly paper bedding and relocation moves and clearances.”

Ian reflected: “We’re delighted that Green Solutions is taking action to help the environment, by actively encouraging companies to recycle!”

VIP guests including the fabulous Comedian and Amateur Environmental Crusader, Mark Watson watched as Andy accepted the award on behalf of the College.  Speaking at the event, Vice Principal, Andy Welsh said: “We’re delighted to have been highly commended by the Green Gown Awards. With growing concern for the planet – there has never been a better time for companies to improve their carbon footprint and become more eco friendly.”

Vice Principal, Andy Welsh added: “Bradford College takes its commitment to environmental issues very seriously, making a positive contribution to the environment and the Bradford community.”

The winning entries were drawn from 191 applications, representing nearly 110 colleges and universities from across the UK.  Each had to undergo a rigorous assessment process involving 44 expert judges from a range of relevant organisations including the Carbon Trust, The Association of College & University Business Officers (CUBO) and The Skills Funding Agency (SFA).

In their sixth year, the Awards recognise exceptional initiatives being taken by higher and further education institutions in order to become more sustainable.  The scheme has a variety of categories in which universities and colleges can illustrate their achievements, in both academia and estates management. The winning entries encompassed a wide range of innovative and diverse enterprises.

Commenting on the 2010 Green Gown Awards, Iain Patton, Chief Executive of the EAUC, who are the administrators of the Awards, said: “This year’s winning and commended entries demonstrate not only that innovative institutions are taking successful action to minimise their environmental footprints and enhance their social contribution, but also that this is often accompanied by financial benefit. The scale of this benefit will increase as policy measures and regulations increase the costs of poor environmental performance, and as English universities, and eventually, perhaps, all of UK further and higher education, face the prospect of it reducing their funding. Sustainability is therefore compatible with the belt tightening that seems inevitable in future years.”

 “The number and diversity of applications and Awards this year demonstrates that the demands of sustainable development are relevant to everyone and to every aspect of further and higher education.”

Mr Patton concluded: “We hope that the awards will provide inspiration and shared learning for the sector and will encourage all institutions to continue along the road to greater sustainability and improved environmental management.”